国际英语新闻：Israeli warplanes strike on Gaza underground tunnels

GAZA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Israeli F16 war jets destroyed on Thursday five tunnels dug under the border route between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, said Hamas security sources.

    Hamas security sources said that Israeli warplanes have attacked tunnels used for smuggling under the borderline between the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah and Egypt, slightly wounding a Palestinian.

    The tunnels business in the enclave flourished after Israel tightened its blockade on the Gaza Strip almost two years ago, after Hamas movement took control of the Gaza Strip violently and routed President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces.

    Residents of Rafah has estimated that the number of underground tunnels, most of them are used to smuggle goods and fuels from Egypt into Gaza, was more than 1000 before Israel waged a 22-day offensive on Dec. 27 last year.

    An Israeli army spokesman told Israel Radio's Arabic service that Israeli war jets destroyed five underground tunnels under the borderline between the Gaza Strip and Egypt in response to earlier rockets attacks.

    A pro-Iran group called the Brigades of Hezbollah in Palestine claimed responsibility earlier on Thursday for firing two homemade rockets from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel. One Israeli woman was treated for a shock.